Like most people, the guys who bring you viruses, malware, spyware and phishing are spreading their own brand of joy and cheer during the holiday season. They want your money!

Their idea of giving is for you to give them money, credit card info or information about yourself (name, address, social, phone number or email address). These are usually (but not always) easy to spot. The old adage “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.” really applies here.

This year like years past, I am getting a raft of calls like “my computer is acting funny” and “I got this strange email” and “my computer is really slow”. These are all indications of someone messing with your computer or your email. Hang in there. On January first these “givers” usually take off for a few weeks for a well deserved holiday of their own.